The Tale of Fire
by Snow22
Summary: Ruby is a young, confused teen trying to find her place in the world. It would make it a whole lot esier if she didn't have fur. Rated T for later stuff. Please Review. Thank you!
1. Who She Is

**Hello again. I don't own this franchise, the comic or cartoon of Teen Titans. **

**Chapter quote: Beast Boy and Raven are hanging out at the park. Trying to impress her, he picks a bunch of flowers. Once he sticks them to her nose, she begins to sneeze. **

**Once she does, the whole lake jumps and then replaces itself. Raven's new power, water control with sneezes.**

* * *

She remembered her mother…and her father. But it was always her mother that would tell those great stories. The stories of heroes working throughout their lives for greatness and peace. The tales of those with special abilities helping the less fortunate. The tales where everyone was accepted no matter the background, universe or race they came from. And she knew that she was one. How? She was not like anyone else.

Her body was that of a human stance yet she was covered in a thick red-orange fur with a long slender tail for balance tipped with white. A fox. That's what she was born as but could stand and talk as if a human would. She had curious blue eyes instead of yellow and hair grew from her head like a human's did. Instead of having her long pointy ears on the top, they were on the side. And not only did she look different but she discovered that she could control the element of fire. Anything with heat she could shift to her will. That made the children scared of her; all would run as if she were a monster. Destructive as they may sound, her powers were controlled quite well as opposed to Terra.

She grew up having little friends that would accept her as a human being. The animals did not speak to her either, for even though she knew their tongue, she was diminished for wearing the clothing of the human race.

So she continued to grow and now is in her sixteenth year. Just recently she found out the stories were true. Upon hearing this she was so blissful that she ran to tell her parents. But horror struck as she came back, finding her parents bloody and nude, stolen off all their valuables.

She held her parent's dead bodies; the only humans that had ever cared or loved her in her entire lifetime had died just like that. She forgot how venerable they were. The world is evil, and she came to realize this soon enough. Now she lives in seclusion on the streets of the city hoping for one day to join the marvelous rank of heroes and become legendary and not a monster. I tell you this now; she will receive her dream and find out how it really is.

Her name is Ruby. And this is her story.

* * *


	2. How They Find Her

**Chapter humor thingy: Bad blood amoung the elementals**

**Ruby stares at the statue of Terra. Since nobody is around, she grabs a marker and scribbles onto her face. "So we both settle this now."**

**All she drew was a scowling eyebrow on Terra looking mean towards her. And that's how she trains.**

* * *

It had been quite a peaceful day at the Titan's Tower. Raven was mediating on the roof covered fully by her body cloak while Beast Boy lay underneath the sun soaking in rays as a green python. Cyborg was busy polishing his mechanics in his bedroom a floor down. Robin was fully enjoying putting his arm around Starfire during a romantic movie. Just as it was getting to the kissing scene, Starfire holding several tissues the alarm rang off three times, making the whole tower glow red within.

Within a few seconds they all gathered around the large couch and wide-screen window to view a city location map that popped up on screen.

Robin evaluated the situation, "There's some trouble in the city. Looks like Hoverboard is up to no good in the park again. Titans, GO!"

They leapt out of the window, Beast Boy shifting into an eagle while Raven carried Cyborg and Starfire hauled Robin. Hoverboard was a younger villain with the ability of psychokinetic control over certain objects which he used to torture people by levitating rocks and benches. They found him on top of a statue, laughing manically. His spiky blue hair slightly blew in the breeze, turning around. He wore a large pair of sunglasses that were round and covered his eyes with a striped black and white shirt with blue jeans on as well.

Smirking towards Raven he exclaimed, "Well hello there pretty lady! Wanna give another controller a kiss?"

"Sorry punk." She replied in a darker toned voice, eyes glowing with powerful magic, "But I don't date mentalists like you." Chanting her spell, she managed to take back a park bench from his control and set it gently back where it belonged. Hoverboard growled and picked up a tree his sunglasses glowing an unnatural blue, roots and all.

Beast Boy said, "Time to Dam it! Get it?" He transformed into a beaver, beginning to gnaw through the tree at a very high speed.

Starfire smiled widely, throwing beams towards him while he was distracted. He suffered a minor impact against the ground, lifting himself up with a chunk of fallen solid earth. "I'd hate to hurt a lady but with you…you are an alien." He threw a blue-glowing boulder to her. But before she was hit, the boomerang from Robin slashed it into harmless chunks. They gave each other eyes of love and infuriated expressions simultaneously. This guy had ruined their date!

Cyborg shifted his arm to the shape of cannon, aiming for Hoverboard. The teen villain held his arms up and said with a nervous expression. "Now easy there buddy, we don't want anybody getting HURT!" He threw a large barbeque onto Cyborg's body. He threw it off and smelled the pork chops on it. "Mmm…I'll see you three later. Meanwhile I've got to…" When he turned around all the Titans were pinned down to the ground by large wires that had been buried underground.

"That's not good!" He yelled and tried to free his fellow friends but was captured by the wires as well. "Ha! Finally. Looks like you Titans won't be getting up for a while. Meanwhile I can enjoy my day off!"

He began to laugh but was cut off by the scent of smoke. He dodged a fireball from behind and sneered, glancing around. He looked up to the sunlight only to see a small shadow coming straight for him. His screams were silenced by a large boot to his nose.

Ruby's ears flickered as she back-flipped off Hoverboard's face, landing daintily on the ground while staring at the captured Titans. "Hey there."

"Wow…you're a…." Beast Boy gasped. Not only did she control an element like Terra once had but she also looked like an animal. He drooled in thought.

"Yep, I am controller of fire."

"That was amazing!" Starfire yelled, shooting her eye-lasers at the thick wires that bound her.

"Oh great another element controller." Raven moaned, trying to free herself. She was bound too tight. Surprisingly, it was the dark mage that the fox-girl went towards first. "Don't come near me girl. I can get out of this myself."

She shrugged, "Alright but I'm just trying to help."

Ruby placed her fingers on the wires holding Cyborg and concentrated. From her hands glowed a red color, covering the entirety of the wires. The metal was soft enough that Cyborg was able to break through. He rubbed his sore neck and smiled to her, "Thank you."

A blush spread across her face that was barely perceivable but she itched her head shyly. "No problem."

She freed the rest in the same way and nodded at each of their thank-yous. Except for Raven who stayed underneath the pressure of the wires. "Dang it? What did that little crapper rig these wires with?"

"I don't blame you. Those are steel cables they use in the underground piping systems to Jump City. It takes a very high temperature to break them. Mind if I help?"

She glared underneath her shadowy hood and nodded, "Fine. Just don't hurt me."

But the molten metal didn't hurt Raven and she managed to free herself with help from Ruby. "You have great control over your element."

"Thank you…" She turned and Robin held her jacket-lined shoulder. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the City."

"Don't you have anywhere to stay?" Beast Boy told after shaking off as a dog.

"No…"

Starfire gasped and held Ruby in a tight hug. "You must stay with us! No person should be without a warm place to stay!"

Ruby's eyes lowered to the ground and her hair blew in the wind. "Yeah but I'm no person. I'm just a monster."

"Who tells you that?" Robin asked.

"Everyone who sees me. And it's true…everyone is afraid of me for the way I look and my powers. I was only accepted by my parents who weren't even my real parents. I can't go back there. But I have to every night and face what I really am."

Cyborg stepped up to the plate and twisted her around, the two locking eyesight. She was lost in his eyes, his muscular build holding her small arms tight. "Come with us then. You can't be living like that. Robin what do you say?"

Robin stared at her, remembering Terra. "Just as long as she doesn't hurt anybody."

"I won't. I've got control over my powers! Thank you so much…"

She started crying and the tears were like pools of magma running down her cheeks and burning holes into the dirt.


	3. The Room She Recieves

**I don't have any quote thingies so here we go.**

**Cyborg is running around on the top of the Titans Tower and stops smelling the air. With his fists to the skie he shouts, "TAAACCOOOSSS!"**

* * *

Upon arriving at the Tower, Robin was beginning to see if she was Titan-worthy. "Is the control over fire your only ability?"

"I am very quick on my feet and can slip past guards and stuff." She whispered, touching the seaweed that washed on shore while the oceans sang a tune that only she understood. The sound of the waves made her sleepy, slumping onto Cyborg's arm before the entrance. She touched a seashell with her tail and picked it up.

The leader asked another question when the door opened fully exposing the guts of the tower. "Have you ever hurt or killed anyone?"

"I accidently burnt a boy when I was like five but besides that…no. I am a very gentle person." She slipped inside past his nose fully. He smirked, "So that's what you mean. No wonder you look like that."

"Oh yes it is a very good superhero costume!" Starfire exclaimed, petting the fur of her arms. "Tell me how much did it cost?"

"Nothing. I was born like this. I don't know here I'm from or who my real parents are. All I know is I have my powers."

"She could be a total bomb for Earth." Raven said, uncloaking her head once inside, away from the sunlight. Beast Boy grabbed her shoulders and glared her in the eye. "You shouldn't be the one to talk miss 'my dad destroyed the world temporarily.'"

She slapped his hand away and growled, "I told you not to mention that again Beast Boy!"

"Love you?"

"Heard it."

Ruby chuckled at the two, "Ah lovers quarreling. Such a fun sight. So where's my room going to be?"

She held her breath when Starfire gripped her neck at death point with a happy expression with flowers radiating off her aura. "I will show our new friend to her room. There we will assemble the making up and arrange the seating equipment!"

"By the way what's your name?" Cyborg asked while flopping down on the couch. She hovered above his head behind him and blinked. "I am Ruby."

……

After the team introduced themselves, Starfire took an inhuman grip on her wrist and dragged her into the elevator. "This will be so fun! What do you like to do one who is named after my stone of birthing?"

"I'm named after your birthstone? Cool! I like fighting, eating, writing stories, playing video games, watching T.V., and sometimes I like to shop."

She squealed and held onto her neck, "Oh joyous of occasions! Meeting a new friend is always so fun!"

"Yeah, I'm glad we're friends too Star!" Ruby coughed out.

The elevator stopped on the third floor and the alien girl dragged her out of it, traveling and turning a sharp corner. The room door was unlocked. Ruby gasped. The room already had a large squishy bed, a couple of purple-velvet chairs and a small television in the very back. A large window expanded over making up one of the walls. It showed the setting sun behind Jump City. "This is…perfect."

"Robin told me that if no villains are attacking this weekend that we can all shop for room accessories. I think he wants to make you part of the team."

"Really?"


	4. How They Decide to Make Her a Member

**Humor:**

** Beast Boy sneaks into Ruby's room at night trying to do the whole prank where you stick someone's hand in warm water and they pee. Well he manages to sneak in but when he sticks her hand in the water it instantly vaporizes. "Darn it!"**

Ruby stayed in her new room overnight. Luckily her drool didn't burn the pillows or bed sheets and it was one of the most peaceful sleeps she received ever since her parent's death. Not once did she toss or turn and she nearly slept through the later morning hours. A knock on the door consistently pounding perked her ears up. She blinked a few times, still her regular clothing and walked groggy towards the door. With a press of a button it opened and she stood before Beast Boy and a plate of cinnamon rolls. He smiled behind the heat waves. "Good morning Ruby. I made some breakfast for you and the bathroom's open if you want a shower."

"Oh wow…thank you." She smiled and a lump grew in her throat as she took the plate, walking down with him. Tears began to spill from her eyes and he held her shoulder calmly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" She smiled though her steamy tears. "It's just nobody ever has treated me so kindly. And you guys just met me! I feel so happy."

He gave her a stupid smile and wagged his finger, "Don't worry. You are like us! We're all like a big family here."

"Especially you and Raven."

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" He asked defensively as she bit into on of the rolls. The sweet sugar-coated roll made her want to cry again but she was tough and hid them. "How long have you two been dating?"

"About three weeks now."

"And you guys live in the same place! It's probably a miracle that she hasn't killed you yet! You seem very smart but you want people to be happy and laugh."

"Y-Yeah…but how do you…"

She winked at him, playing with his fuzzy green hair, "I relate to that more than you think."

While walking into the entryway she nearly tripped over Silky, trying to balance her plate of precious food. She managed to fall but felt a huge hand take a hold to her small waist. The plate was caught as well and she stared upwards. She gasped, eyes in a sparkle when she saw Cyborg. He gave a pearly white smile and chuckled. "Clumsy with pets are you? Good morning Ruby."

"Good…m-morning to you as well Cyborg." She gave a strange grin as she straightened out of his grip, composing herself while gnawing on the rolls. It was obvious she had a crush on the robotic man but she didn't expose it. Or at least she was trying not to…

Beast Boy saw the look in her eyes and gave a husky thumbs-up towards him and exited, leaving the two alone. She pushed her fingers together and itched her heel with the outside of her foot shyly. She felt so out of place with disheveled hair and messy fur.

Suddenly a sparkle from underneath the television set caught her eyes and she walked towards it mesmerized. "Is that the new Gamestation Three?"

"You know about that?"

"Of course! I love video games!"

"Wanna play after breakfast?"

She stared at the bathroom door open and pointed, "Can I get a shower? After that you're on!"

The two managed to get close enough to slap palms and she dashed for the shower in a rush of mad embarrassment. Robin arrived into the main living room just as the bathroom door slammed and shrugged. "Where's Ruby?"

"Shower."

"Raven bought her clothes last night. For a gift about me accepting her to be on the team."

"Really? Why did you decide so quickly? I thought you didn't trust her." He sat down on the couch, snacking on potato chips while looking outside as the seagulls flew by.

Robin lowered his head to look at the newly made Titan phone. "We searched up information last night. She's been working all her life to help people even though it's been tough for her. She's nice and has a good heart. I don't think there's one ounce of darkness in that girl."

* * *


	5. Why Raven Bought the Clothes

**Alright this chapter is pretty short but that's what this whole story is about. Lot's of short chapters to make one long, good story!**

**Humor: Robin comes into the bathroom half asleep and goes to the bathroom. Unknowing that the water is flowing he flushes. Instead of leaping and screaming about how hot the water is, Ruby's ears flicker and she lowers her tense shoulders. "Ah finally the water got warm."**

Beast Boy walked into the entrance of the tower roof, blocking his eyes from the instant glare of the sunrise. He saw Raven's darkened shadow in the array of bloody orange and violet colors that the clouds emitted. He smiled placing his hand around her waist and gave her a great dumb smile. She glared towards him and cocked her head. "Okay what do you want?"

"I heard about what you did. Buying those clothes for Ruby. Why?"

"The other clothes she wore stank like high heaven. Besides who knows when's the last time she changed."

"Come on…" he placed his finger underneath her chin, "There's gotta be another reason why…"

"Okay fine…maybe I trust her a little. And maybe I want her to live better than she has been. You would too if you had read her mind." She turned, crossing her arms with a pouty lip, blinking slowly. She watched dolphins below ride on the green-blue waves of the ocean below, how they danced and collected in groups. And there were six…not five.

He flinched slightly after she faced the other way and grabbed her shoulder lovingly. "You did what?"

"I read her mind. It was full of blood and darkness, loneliness but yet an unnatural reason for her to be kind to those who shunned her." She took off her hood and faced the opposite way of the beaming sun. A miracle arrived; her eyes were sparkling like the last remaining star in the fading darkness. She crossed her arms and titled her head, "Come on, let's go eat some breakfast." As a final saying in the conversation, she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. The green of the bridge of his nose turned pale pink as he rubbed the back of his head. "Are you still mad about the tofu thing?"

"Anger wears off. Besides it's perfectly normal for a couple to bicker. It's not healthy for one person to hold a grudge for so long a time."

By the time they arrived, Ruby was hacking away on the Gamestation 3 severely beating Cyborg at the racing game. She jumped and hollered, bouncing up and down when the game ended announcing her winner.

Suddenly the red beam flashed on and off, signaling the Titans of trouble in the City. "Show the screen." Robin barked as he ran in, the cape following gracefully.

The map showed the downtown area where a tall muscular-built man was terrorizing citizens wearing a suit of armor that had computer circuits integrated into his outfit. "Great…it's the System. He's a newer villain like Hoverboard but that doesn't make these newer ones any less dangerous."

"Perhaps it is because we are still teens that is the reason why they are becoming younger?"

"That would make sense." Ruby told.

Robin looked to her shyly, "This will go towards you being a part of the team. We'll see how worthy you are. In the meantime…Titans Go!"

* * *


	6. The First Official Battle

**Alright since it's my day off and I'm bored I just added a new chapter. I'll probably add another one today and then wait until Friday to update. I've got a funeral to go to on Wed. and I've got school work to make sure I finish. But I'll try my best to keep adding stuff on! **

**Humor: DR. MANHATTEN COMES TO JUMP CITY.**

**He stands on corner with tuxedo on and Raven stands next to him waiting for light for walking to flash on. "Hey are you pyscic too?"**

**"yeah...what's it to ya?"**

* * *

The man that was terrorizing the city was an enormous six foot ten with hair hidden behind a large snow cap. He wore a pair of goggles similar to Hoverboard's and could lift up the very asphalt from the ground with his enormous hands. His armor was a blue color with white lines like a circuit board on a computer. The Titans landed behind him including Ruby who was lucky enough to win herself a place of Cyborg's shoulder. She was wearing the clothes Raven bought her that included a brand new black jacket line with flames on the sleeves and back with a maroon red colored T-shirt underneath with a flame insignia and jeans that had what else, flames lining the bottom. The others had asked if she could heat air currents to move herself but she replied with, "I need to figure out how much it will take and my weight."

The tall villain stopped punching the ground and with a bulky stance, shifted around to perceive the Titans. He gave a scowl and lowered his eyebrows, "Well lookie. You were the guys that bullied my brother Hoverboard!"

He stooped down to look Ruby straight in the eyes, his huge nose covering the small space of her neck. She gave a growl as he continued. "And here's a fuzzy one! Aren't you sexy you little vixen? Wanna ditch these losers and become my girl?"

She gave a seductive smile and her eyes glittered, "Uh no!" She blew a stream of fire around his hand and he yelped, falling right down on his bum. Starfire took her chance and floated above the large man, picking him up by the scruff of the neck. "Cyborg shall we play the baseball?"

"You bet sister!" He took of a hold of Beast Boy and he shifted into a huge anaconda. The System gave a yell when he saw the snake. "No! Please I'm afraid of snake! Put me down."

She giggled and threw him into the asphalt leaving a large crater behind where he sat in the middle, injured. "As you wish!"

He rubbed his sore neck and growled at the flying Titan. Suddenly another large boulder slammed onto the tip of his stone-hard head. It cracked under the pressure and he stood up even after being pelted with it from Raven's magic. Robin planted a time bomb on the man's chest but even the billowing smoke and explosion weren't enough to make him recoil back in his crater.

Ruby looked to Raven as he rose higher and higher and she grabbed her hand. "Raven, can you help me rotate my flames into the shape of a spiral around System? I think the heat will melt his feet to the ground."

The dark mage nodded and removed her hood, "Just tell me when I should be ready." Ruby closed her eyes in concentration, beginning a spark in her palms. She shifted it so the heat would start to go towards the metallic man. As Cyborg weakened his armor with the laser beams from his arm, and Beast Boy kept him down with the snake form, the flame moved into a line formation. When it reached the cold armor, Ruby opened her eyes and began to spin her body around. The flame line became a full circle around System and she shouted, "Raven, now!"

Raven's eyes glowed black with the white surrounding the edges. Her magic reached the flame circle and it began to shift into a tornado shape. Ruby felt Raven's magic in her dancing fire, the power and the darkness imbued into it made her feel strong and terrified at the same time.

The others backed off watching the show of blackened fire surround System. His boots reached such a high temperature that they were fused to the ground. Even his fully armored body was stuck in a defensive position. Ruby cut the flames down and placed them back into her hands, sealing the power.

System was frozen like a stature save for his eyes and mouth which constantly moved. "You won't get away with this Titans! I'll have revenge for both of us!"

Robin crossed his arms just as the Jump City police arrived, cutting the armor with specialized saws revealing him to only have girth in his face, the rest was skinny. He wore only a pair of boxers underneath his weighted robotic armor, sneering as they threw him in the police car. "I'll have my revenge!"

"Let's go home Titans."

Ruby's ears happily rose and before he straddled his motorcycle she asked in a high pitched voice, "Really?"

Robin nodded and dug into his pocket. He pulled out an official Titans communicator and smiled as he handed it to her. "You've earned it Ruby."

She quickly swiped it away, squealing happily. She tightly held onto the leader's neck and rubbed her furry face on his, "Oh thank you! Thank you all!"

Starfire was the next to fully tackle her, picking her up while flying in midair. "Yay! Our new friend is a member now!"

"Ah! Who's up for a group hug?" Cyborg offered, taking the whole team in his huge arms as Beast Boy brushed against Raven.

"Can we go home now? I still need to finish my breakfast. Who's up to share some tofu eggs with me?"


	7. Shopping

**This chapter is full of squishy sisterly friendship between Star and Ruby. And it is also made of food. i like food. :3**

**Anyway I have little humor on brain right now. I have to see dead people at a graveyard so that'll be fun. But hey i get free eats right?**

Starfire floated happily around Ruby, waiting and watching as she began to finish her breakfast. "Hey star what's wrong?" she asked, taking huge gulps of her chocolate milk. She beamed to the fullest and patted her hands together. "I am just so excited to go to the shopping with my new friend. Just you and me! Raven does not wish to go."

"Humph…that's surprising." The two girls glared at each other for a second and Ruby shrugged it off. "Eh, we're cool. But next time you're going to come with us."

"Not on your life hothead."

"Eh, suits you!" She sprang up from the table, taking Starfire's hand and saluted to the teens. The guys tried to jump aboard but she shook her head, "Nu-uh! Girl's day out. I bet Starfire hasn't had something like this happen especially with dark and gloomy in the corner." Raven glared up at the fox woman again from reading her book but all it took was a plea of sadness from Ruby's big eyes to make her calm down. After making her sure her hide was safe she looked at her wristwatch, "See you guys in a couple hours. Call you if there's trouble!" The front door slammed and the two crossed the water entering the hustling downtown shopping area of Jump City. They walked side to side and Ruby rubbed her head in confusion. "Uhm…so what exactly are we shopping for?"

"Decorative objects for your room. Maybe new seating arrangements and the sheet that covers the bed."

"I saw your room. It's very…uhm you!"

"I based the designs off my home planet's royalty! Are you impressed?" Ruby grabbed her shoulder and nodded with a great grin, "Yeah I am Star."

They started at a department store and instantly Ruby fell head over heels for a bed set filled with images of rubber duckies. "Oh these are so adorable! But I don't know if they would really fit in with the décor I want to get…"

Starfire scooted her over to another bed set on display and pointed at it. It had an African-style pattern imbedded onto it. "How about this one? It is very…you!"

She lie on the fluffy bed and stroked the top. "It's really soft! I think we'll get this one. Good eye Starfire!"

"I am glad I can be of assistance. Where to next?"

"Let's go pick out some decorations."

They traveled across the street after buying the covers and saw a shop with old antiques from across the nations. They stared starry-eyed towards pictures of old heroes from Medieval times and statues of Asian Dragons protecting great knowledge in the form a pearl. Ruby picked up a couple of the dragons to use in a bookshelf and choose a couple of old books to read. Starfire was elated when she found the picture of the Kitsune, nine tailed fox straight from Japan. The artist was from Kyoto and was offering to sell it cheap. They picked up it too and planned to use it on Ruby's wall above her bed. After scanning and making sure there was nothing else she liked, the two went straight into a clothing store.

"Why are we here?"

"Just for the heck of it. I wanted to try stuff on." Ruby couldn't help but hid her her blush as they traveled further and further back into the clothing, lost within the colorful fabrics and velvety textures. Starfire gave a squeal when Ruby grabbed her, the two ducking down into a rack full of puffy dresses. "We are not here for only the purchase of clothing are we?"

"No…I wanted to tell you something?"

"I am listening."

She sighed and looked Starfire in the green eyes closely. "Promise you won't tell anybody!"

"I promise now what is it?" She clasped her hands over Ruby's in a sisterly fashion. Ruby's ears flickered as she stared to the left, completely overtook by the red on her face. "I think I have a little crush on Cyborg. Not a little crush but like a huge, monstrous, gigantic crush that is going to squish me if I don't tell him! I've always looked up to the Titans ever since you came to Jump City and I've always liked him."

"You should tell him then. I exposed my feelings for Robin and we are doing the dating." "Yeah and I know we're a lot alike. It's just I can't find the guts to speak with him about it."

"Give the feeling some time. And when you think the time is right, you should tell him." Stafire patted Ruby's hands and gave another beam, pointing at the clock. "We should be returning home by now."

"Y-Yeah." They rose from the clothing rack and began to go towards the exit. "Hey Strafire?"

"Yes?" She turned back as Ruby stood there in a flush. She placed her hands behind her back and blinked. "Thanks."

The two continued back to the tower.

* * *


	8. The First Nightmare

It happened that night after she watched some T.V. the last person to lie down in the tower. She gave a snap in the dark hallways so that the flame resting on her thumb lit her path. The smell of mint arose from the leftover tea. She yawned, trying to compose herself fully as she flopped down into her bed. She smiled as her eyes became heavier and heavier trying to keep herself awake by only the light of the candles surrounding her bedpost. Images began to fill her head. She saw herself riding on Cyborg's shoulder, happily holding onto his neck. But then the ground started to soak in blood, coming from on top of a steep cliff. She told herself not to go but somehow it was being attracted to the site. The force lifted her body right to the source of the blood which showed to be her parents. A kind voice arose, "So you are the other elemental controller huh?"

A dark figure came from the shadows, and she could only see that it was a female with blue eyes. A hand reached out as Ruby shivered by her parents and cocked her head slightly. "Come on. I won't hurt you."

The figure shifted the backgrounds to a hospital room, just before the maternity ward. She raised her hand up and it allowed Ruby to see into the room. The doctors shook their heads over Ruby as a baby in her mother's arms. Her small tail was wagging and she played around with a small binkie while blinking her giant blue eyes "How is this possible? A human that bore a fox child?"

"Ms. Lucy do you know any reason why your child is like this?"

She looked down at the baby and lowered her head slowly to kiss her on the forehead. "My husband and I finally conceived but the cells were dying. We had assistance from a DNA doctor called Dr. Eternal and he gave me an injection that helped the baby to grow."

"It must've been a very strong serum for the cells to mutate like this. Her body temperature is also very high yet she moves and acts as if she is very healthy."

Ruby looked to the messenger that brought her to the past and asked confused, "A DNA laboratory? Is that why…?"

"Yes, both your parents were humans."

Suddenly the area began to fade as light entered the window in Ruby's room. She held her hand up and shook her head desperately. "Wait, you know about me!"

"Yes. But I will find you sometime later in the future. Until then, farewell my friend."

Ruby gasped opening her eyes and leaping from her bed with flares covering her hands in defense. Beast Boy silently dropped the plate of food he had prepared for her and yelped, "woah! What's wrong?"

"Bad dream…but that's the worst of it. Anything planned for today, cause I feel like crap."

"No…Robin is on a date with Star, Cy's on the Gamestation and I was just making you some breakfast."

"What's Raven doing?" She wanted to speak with her about the dream…

He looked at his watch and smiled towards her, "She should be making her tea right now. Usually after that she meditates. What do want to talk with her for. You two seem to not like each other."

"She has information I think that I may want to know."


	9. Tea Time Talk

Ruby crawled past the entryway of the main Titan hallway and blushed when she saw Cyborg. _Not today_, she repeated back to herself over and over, _don't tell him right now. Big mysterious history of yours that you have to find out about remember? Just keep walking, don't stop._ Three knocks on her door was all it took. The door opened automatically letting her see Raven hovering slightly about the ground while lifting up the tea set as well. "Ruby? What's wrong I heard some commotion upstairs."

"Raven can we talk over tea? I would like to speak with you about some stuff."

"Okay, feel free to but what is troubling you?"

"Can you tell me more about you? I'll tell you about what I know of my history…"

Raven sighed and looked out the darkened window. "Do you remember about two or three months ago when that big war came and the skies turned red?"

"No actually during that whole ordeal I had been whisked away of consciousness. I thought I had died."

"You probably did and were brought back when we saved the world. But that whole ordeal is because I was born to destroy this planet from my father's curse Trigon. We did defeat him. But my home planet was Azerath which is also the saying in my chant."

"So because you were born on that planet is that the reason for your powers?"

"My father was an inter-dimensional demon and my mother was a human. I was afraid to have emotions, because my father would use them against me. But now that he's gone, I've has such a strange time trying to adjust."

"But you're dating Beast Boy! You must have some emotional status coming back." Ruby gave an optimistic grin, sipping the minty green tea from her small blue cup. Raven gave a small smirk and patted Ruby's head. "You're cute. Ever consider going into the circus for a petting zoo?"

"Hey…you just made a joke didn't you? Ha! That was funny!" She started to giggled, nearly spilling the tea all over the carpet and walls, holding her stomach with tears in her eyes. Raven appeared annoyed, holding Ruby's collar. The look on Ruby's face was contagious and Raven found herself uncontrollably snickering. The two stopped laughing when Ruby told, "That's gotta be rough. I had really good parents that were both humans. But about a year ago they were murdered and there was no funeral. I buried them myself."

"What happened?"

"Robbers happened. They stripped us of all our possessions and took all their clothes."

Raven looked down and sipped her tea. "That must be rough."

"It's fine…I mean death is a part of life as well."

"You seem to take it well." Raven was impressed that Ruby was able to control her sadness so well. Ruby held back her tears, biting her tongue and told through her pain, "I got tired of crying I guess. When I was a kid lots of people made fun of me yet I saved others. I helped people get their pets back home, I helped defeat villains. But I cried every night to my parents. Now that I think about it, I really burdened them. I didn't even tell them I loved them before they…"

Raven looked to Ruby and softened her shoulders. She was hurt but luckily there was comport. Raven placed her hand on Ruby's left shoulder and pushed her ever so slightly that she tipped onto her back. She flipped over onto the soft carpet with a confused look on her face with tail squished underneath her back. Raven stepped over her and stared her in the eye, "Don't worry about what happened in the past. Look to the future and try to have a little bit more fun. Be less worried and you have it made in the shade."

"You've been with Beast Boy for way too long."

She winked and helped her to get up, "Yes but maybe some things are meant to be." She lifted her up with her powers and threw Ruby out of her room. "Now get out. I hate people in my room."

Ruby had landed on something hard and blushed when she found out she toppled right on top of her crush Cyborg. She had crushed her crush! She blushed intensely, immediately swiping my body off his and rubbing my head with a furry hand. "Uhm hi there Cy. Sorry about that I was just having a talk with Raven."

"It's cool! Hey I was wondering about something."

"Y-Yeah what's that?"

"Would you like to go see a movie on Saturday? "

Her mind raced into a circle, trying to comprehend what had just happened. _Did he, did he just ask me out on a date_? Out of absoulutly nowhere she shouted with all her might and a little flame escaping, "Yes!"

His eyes sparkled in the sunlight and he nodded, "Alright. Cool, see you at dinner."


	10. The Date

Ruby was completely panicking when she arrived back in her room the afternoon before their planned date. She yelped and ducked under her bed, looking for clothes to wear. "What do I do? What do I do?" She repeated trying to figure out a new way into the mysteries of dating. "Oh Lord, Raven's not going to help and I doubt Star knows anything…"

Her ears flickered to a voice beyond her door whispering, "Just be yourself…just be yourself." She peered under the crack to see what else but green skin. She crossed her arms, blowing some hot steam underneath the door and smiled fully once hearing Beast Boy yip away in pain.

"Maybe he's right. I've just gotta calm down and get my head straight. You're a proud warrior of not breaking down into little chunks and pieces Ruby. You've gotten yourself through crap worse than this."

She tucked her tail behind her and sat down on the carpet almost in denial. "Of course that was either with super villains or other guys I didn't like but this…this is new. Oh!" She gave a thumbs-up to herself in the mirror and pinched her fuzzy cheeks. "You're going to be fine. Like BB said, be yourself."

Her tail swished and flicked ready and anticipating as it slid through the hole in the back of her jeans and she looked down at them. It was from a hand-me-down store with a tiny hole in the knees but it would have to do. At least they didn't smell. She slipped on a nice blue blouse with flowery edgings and tied her hair into a ponytail. She placed fake diamond clip-on earrings onto her sensitive ears and examined herself in the mirror. No make-up, no perfume and she looked beautiful.

"Okay, be calm. It's just a first time date. No worries. With the greatest most perfect cybertronic man in all of time." She was making herself blush again, squealing with joy this time. "I can't believe this is happening to me! If this is a dream, please don't wake me up!"

She met him outside on the rooftops and he was in the hoodie and baggy pants that the Titans had found him in. He smiled as his car rolled onto the landing strip of the tower roof and the door swung open on her side. "Hope you don't mind if I drive."

Along the way to the movie theater, the skies became darker and darker, the streetlights lighting on their path. "So uhm…do you want to go to dinner? The show doesn't start until ten."

"Sure…we can learn more about one another."

They stopped by a fancy Italian restaurant and ordered a table just for two. The candles were lit on the table and Ruby placed the flowers from the vase into her hair. But they instantly vaporized into flames and her ears lowered. Cyborg lifted her cheek with his bulking hand and smiled, "I think you look just fine."

"Cyborg…how did you get into the Titans?"

"Well, a long time ago my family got into a car wreck. I was shocked after waking up from hours of surgery to find out that they had only let me live. I was devastated and took on my life alone in the streets. I tried everything to make myself look human again but…it wasn't the same. Then those aliens attacked and I was so like the others. I just wanted to help out."

"That's very sweet of you." She played with her straw and he cocked his head towards her, "And what about you? What happened to your parents?"

"Well, my parents were completely human. From that dream I had, I think they took a DNA serum and injected me while I was still in the womb trying to get me to survive. I did but the cells took it as a mutation and still kept growing. Maybe that's why I have my powers too. But anyway…they raised me until last year after I had gone to the park saving a bunch of kids I came home and there they were. Naked, bleeding all over the place. Our house had been ransacked and everything was taken away from us. I had to bury them myself. Ever since then, I guess I don't want to see that happen to others so that's why I help out so much."

He scratched his cheek and said in his tender voice, "Well that just goes to prove that you have the heart of a lion Ruby. You're a good person."

"Person? You don't think I'm strange or weird looking?"

"No..." He leaned close and kissed her on the cheek. "I think you are the best looking woman I have ever seen. And that's a promise you can keep."

She felt the area where he kissed her and felt tears well up in her eyes. Compassion…it felt so needed in the dark world they lived in. The steaming hot plate of spaghetti came in and the two continued conversing over their dinner.

After it was done, Cyborg offered to pay while Ruby left a heavy tip. And with his arm around her waist, he led her to the car and even opened the door for her. The movie was a few minutes away and the two stopped in the front, parking and gave up the tickets. Ruby giggled as she pulled Cyborg along by the hand, pointing at the large tub of popcorn she wanted to buy. He ordered it for her and also two large sodas, her favorite kind. The two had fun balancing pieces of popcorn on their noses, laughing and nearly spilling snacks all over the floor as they arrived into the theater show room. The main flick was a horror film with lots of romantic stuff. During the scary parts, Ruby held tight onto his chest, her ears lowered nearly to her neck. During the romantic parts she loosened her grip on him and kept hold onto the many tissues leaving a large wet spot on his shoulder. During the credits Ruby and Cyborg were among the last to leave. She smiled, the having their arms locked going down the steps.

They came back to the tower around eleven, landing on the rooftop. The two sat on the edge of the roof, her body taken up in his large arm and they placed their heads together looking and listening to the waves beyond as the moonlight glittered against the ocean making it seem green in color.

She felt it coming on but didn't know what to do. They stared into one another's eyes, their faces getting closer and closer. Then it happened, the big kiss. She felt every possible emotion flowing through her, happiness, courage, and a tingling feeling that simply could be described as overjoy. Just as quick as it had started, it ended and they pulled away both blushing intensely. Cyborg rose up and started to go towards the steps. "We should…uh get going to bed."

"Y-Yeah." She stayed silent until he came to open the door. "Cyborg…"

He turned around and looked at her confused, "Yes?"

"Thank-you."


	11. Trying to Find the Past

It happened about three days after their date. Cyborg and Ruby were busy trying to make a nice breakfast and she had opened the fridge, beginning to pour herself some milk. Suddenly the carton dropped from her hands and she fell to the floor, unconscious. Cyborg instantly began to panic, holding her body, shaking it lightly. "Ruby? Ruby! Oh man! Titan down!" he shouted. The others came in at a heartbeat and stared at her body. They tried pouring cold water on her, slapping her lightly, making loud noises and not even Starfire's home planet folk songs could wake her up. Robin put two fingers to the underlining of her neck and waited a few seconds. "She's still breathing and her pulse is slow."

Raven, using her abilities scanned her body and her eyes glowed a dark purple. Her cloak levitated and once it settled down she smiled securely to the Titans, "It's okay. She's just in a trance at the moment."

"By who?" Starfire asked. She gave a glance out to the oceans and crossed her arms, "Someone who can help Ruby find out about her past."

Ruby woke up in a dark realm, surrounded by only blackness. She lit her finger on fire and tried to see anything but the blackness but it continued to stay the same shade, no shadows or reflections of the flame. She shook, knowing she was alone. "Hello? Guys? Cyborg…?"

The figure from her previous dreams arrived but her figure started to take form. It was a beautiful, blue-skinned woman with clear watery eyes and navy blue hair in dreadlocks with a silver blouse on and baggy pants. She had dark blue lips with water-droplet earrings, finned fingers and toes. Her ears had small fins connecting them to her head and she tiny blink at her.

Ruby gasped and smiled at her, "You…you're like me!"

The girl looked at Ruby with a gentle maternal look, "I guess I am. My name is Aqua, and I am one of the controllers of elemental abilities."

"One? You mean there are others? Do they look like us?"

"Well not exactly. Somehow all are female and most have strange forms like we do. The elements consist of Earth, Plant, Darkness, Light, Fire, Water, Lightning and Wind."

"So why am I here? And where the heck are we exactly."

Aqua sighed and rubbed her head, "Aren't you the curious one? I guess that's why they picked a fox for the controller of fire. Well, just come with me and you'll probably figure out why."

The background melted away to reveal a small doctor's office. There she saw through the small window, her parents at a young age holding each other's hands close together. "Your parents had a hard time trying to conceive a child. They went to several doctors once they did though trying to save the baby so they wouldn't have to get an abortion. A DNA scientist, a person that helped shape your destiny knew of your parents from college. He knew that this was his opportunity to create a child with no flaws. But the serum was the opposite and the cells in your mother's uterus took it as a mutation but continued to grow and survive. This happened to a lot of those who control the elements. Unfortunately the doctor was killed before any of us could meet and so we were separated."

"So are you part of the bunch then? Let me guess, you are of water."

"correct. We will meet sometime in the future but for now is there anything else that you would like to ask me?"

Ruby stood slightly in the becoming darkness that was beginning to swallow the psychic image and she raised her finger towards Aqua with blinking curious eyes and sparkling eyes. "Do we have powers beyond our control of the elements? Like with you, you are able to make all this and enter the minds of others? Anything for me?"

"you seem to have a strong knowledge of auras about you. Tell me what do you see when you close your eyes?"

Ruby closed her eyelids over her blue eyes and concentrated. An image of the outline of Aqua came into her eyelids like a computer screen and then from within a small blue-green flame began to flicker. "A flickering glowing colored flame."

"Then that is your power. You are able to read aura, the special color of a person's soul that lets you know whether or not they are good. The brighter the flame, the more pure they are."

She opened her eyes and gave a chuckle, "Yours is pretty bright."

"Currently I'm working for Titans East. And if you ever need me for answers, call me in the dream realm."

Ruby's eyes flickered open back at the tower and she mumbled, the faces surrounding her making a great grin spread across her face. "Guys…you waited for me to wake up."

"Of course we did. You are our friend." Robin said, helping her up. Cyborg held her from behind, making her want to faint just to be in his grip. But she stood up and waved to them, letting them know she was okay.

"So what happened?" Raven asked.

"I learned about everything I had questions about!"


	12. The Gathering

The day started out perfectly normal, sun shining beyond the tinted windows of the Tower. She stared at the nearly barren fridge and huffed in annoyance when she saw that there was no more milk left for cereal. So she set out for the nearest grocery store using the heat waves to transport her safely over the ocean. There she picked up two gallons of milk and stood patiently in line while a guy in front of her bought a few bottles of wine. She sighed, after paying for them and started to walk home. Her face implanted the back of another person, and they both stood in a daze staring at one another. Ruby's eyes opened even wider when she saw clearly what she looked like. The girl had long blonde hair cropped slightly past her shoulders in a stringy mess with dark brown eyes and a revealing costume on. The two looked at one another, mostly in shock.

"Are you one of us…?" The girl asked. "One of the elemental controllers?"

"Yes I am. I am Ruby of Fire. Who are you?" "My name is Terra of the Earth."

"Terra…? But I thought you were…" "Yea me too. But someone or something let me out of there and now I'm back. I've been in hiding waiting for an opportunity like this to pop up. Listen we…"

In a flash of light, the two had disappeared from the grocery store and it left the milk behind. The storekeeper blinked and looked at his watch, "It's too early for this sort of crap."

Terra and Ruby arrived in a dank cavern-appearing area and a dark figure loomed over them. "There you are my lovelies. It's time for the gathering."

"What?" The two said together and were immediately slapped with shackles. Then an unknown force stripped them to the underwear, the two standing in chains with only bras and panties on. Embarrassed and pissed, Ruby tried to blow steam to melt the metal but it didn't react at all. Terra's eyes glowed yellow and sh could not get the rocks to move to her command. They were pushed into a circular arena and attached to a rocky wall. A light shone down from above and through it they could perceive three other girls in the room as well, one of them being Aqua. Ruby smiled widely and wagged her tail, "Aqua…what's going on?"

"It seems as if an unnamed evil wants to steal our powers." "Is that possible?"

"no, but they are going to prod and shame us until they figure that out. This person wants himself to be reborn from the ashes of our powers. But that will be practically impossible. WE will find a way to free ourselves. By the way this is Gabriel of the plant." Her head nodded to the girl on her left, her stringy green hair hanging like vines from her scalp. She was concentrating on the dirt very far and deep below. With the collective strength of the plants' growth, the base would start to crumble so they would be freed. She pointed her head over to the right, "And this is Rhea. She controls darkness."

The girl had an aura similar to Raven's dark and depressing but only worse. All her make-up was black and her figure looked like the Sandman's sister, Death. But she was trying to manipulate the shadows to look like the guards of the mysterious cavern. Truth was she was almost on the mark! The soldiers looked exactly like what they had seen at the very beginning of the cavern.

Cyborg was panicking all over the Tower, throwing the pillows off the couches and looking under every single door crack. "Okay…allie allie onsanfree! Come out, come out wherever you are. Oh…" He tipped the couch over for the third time and Robin stepped in sipping a shake and almost dropped it once seeing the condition of the main room. There was trash all over the place and things were thrown like a tornado shifted through. "Uhm, Cyborg? Are you feeling okay?"

"Has anyone seen Ruby? She's been missing all morning. I can't find her on the trackers, or the radar! So she must be hiding right? She's playful like that y'know…"

Robin smiled widely and punched Cyborg's shoulder. "You like her, tell me all the details."

"Okay…but don't tell anyone else alright man? Listen, Ruby and I went on a date about a week ago and I've been thinking about it. She really does mean a lot to me. And I care about her. I want her to know that. But I'm also kind of afraid."

'Let me give you some manly advice my friend. A guy that can openly say he loves a woman is a man all on his own. But one who hides his feelings away, is nothing more than a tiny boy."

They heard screeching and the sounds of static bouncing off the walls, and landing in the center of the circle. "Let go of me you jerks! Argh!"

Two dark shadow guards pulled in another girl with curly brown hair and electricity flowing through her hair, arms and fingers. She looked to be slightly Hispanic. "Elizabeth, with the temper of the tempest she controls. She probably has an even shorter fuse than you do, Ruby."

The girl squirming and flailing was chained fully to the wall with huge shackles that ran over her bare stomach and neck. She finally controlled herself, her hair finally flopping against her sweaty shoulders. She stared up towards the others and gave a slight sad chuckle, "Yeah, but that wasn't enough to save myself from coming here. Aqua, why is this happening?"

"Mankind is young and curious to how things work. But don't worry girls." She glared at the center ring beginning to crack and the cracks filling with green plant life. "We will prevail from this mess."

One by one the rest came in, Lucrecia of Light and Aura of wind came in as a pair. Lucrecia looked like a normal seventeen year old African-American girl with the exception of blinding white hair and Aura had feathers completely covering her skin and wings stretching underneath the length of her arms. Once all were chained up, they started to snicker at the dark man, then the whole room burst into laughing. With his glowing red eyes confused, he shouted to his chained female prisoners, "Stop it! Stop it now! Why are you laughing? You re about to become my slaves, I am about to take your powers!"

Suddenly to his surprise, a large tree popped up through the solid floor and its branches began to snap through the shackles of the elemental controllers. The girls yelled in freedom, taking their powers out and unleashing them on their caper who took it hard, trying to roll and dodge attacks of flame, ice, lighting and harsh tornadoes all while dodging plants popping up in his lair. "I will be back."

The girls found their clothes and without another word, placed them back on their cold bare bodies. Everyone was smiling and laughing at his demise, even Rhea who whipped up the shadows so they could escape into the light above. Turns out the girls were actually in a deep underground cavern that prevented all communicators from working. At the tower Cyborg's tracker finally beeped her location up and he smiled pointing at the map, "She's over near Hawaii. C'mon let's go help her out."

Ruby was simply beaming over all the controllers, but they just gave a sort of glare at her. "What?"

"Uhm, Ruby come with me." Aqua said as Terra began to levitate away back to the city. The two began to walk across the beach, the sands inhibited only by the small red fiddler crabs. Ruby let one snip at her wagging tail as they stopped underneath a small palm tree. "Ruby, the others are not like you in any way. They have a certain feeling towards themselves that they have seen in the past and cannot forgive. They think they have committed sins beyond forgiveness. And when they see you, it is uneasy for them to comprehend their ultimate feelings."

As soon as she stopped, the Titans ship arrived with Cyborg on the top, waving his arms to her in a frenzy, "Ruby! Come on, let's go home!"

She gasped at his sight, beginning to run through the warm ocean waters the salt getting stuck in her fur. She leapt onto the ship, being lifted in the air by Cyborg. She enjoyed his large hands around her small waist, cuddling her nose against his forehead.

"I was so worried about you." He whispered. She smiled and patted his head, "I'm sorry, it's a long story."

"Ruby…" He gulped and held her tight within his grasp. The words came out slowly and quietly but she understood completely, "I love you." Her eyes watered fully and she smiled too, "Oh Cy, I love you too!" The two shared an embrace longer than could be told. They stared at each other after hugging and the ocean waves induced their romantic eyes, glittering in the sun, and the sounds of the waves breaking onto the beach. She felt herself being pulled into it and couldn't stop, didn't want it to stop. The feeling of his lips on hers, soft and gentle was too good to even think about. A tiny tongue explored hers only slightly until they had to let go for air, still holding one another's hand as if they would never want to separate. Aqua was the only remaining Element and she gave a lonely sigh, watching as they stole away back into the ship. Once it had turned around and reversed back to Jump City, she held her slowly beating heart opening her gills to breathe in the ocean waters. "Yes but it is this problem I have. I am one who cannot find a love like that. If only you could understand that young fox…"


End file.
